atoll coral reefs sinking oceanic islands

Coral reefs can survive after the islands beneath them disappear

A volcanic island may slowly sink as the oceanic crust beneath it changes. If surrounding coral reefs grow upward fast enough, they can remain near the surface while the island gradually disappears underwater. The result can be an atoll: a ring of coral surrounding a lagoon where an island once stood.

National cuisines were partly chosen and created

In 19th- and 20th-century Europe, writers, governments, cooks and food experts helped decide which food traditions represented a nation. As industrial food production grew, so did interest in cuisines presented as authentic links to the past.

Official COVID case counts missed millions of infections

A confirmed COVID-19 case required a positive test, but many infected people were never tested. Studies that randomly tested populations repeatedly found far more infections than official case totals suggested. The gap was especially large early in the pandemic, when tests were scarce and people with mild symptoms often went undetected.

Like this? There’s a whole feed of it. Replace empty scrolling with things worth knowing.

Download Hence for free

atoll coral reefs sinking oceanic islands

Coral reefs can survive after the islands beneath them disappear

Discover something new